Kelsey-Lee Roberts geared for big show in world championships final

Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Roberts has warned there is “more to come’’ in the world championships javelin final.

Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Roberts competes in the qualifying round of the javelin at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.

Australia’s new javelin find Kelsey-Lee Roberts has warned there is “more to come’’ in the world championships final after she breezed through the qualifying round in London.

Roberts was at the forefront of Australia’s best day at the championships so far, as Jess Trengove finished ninth in the marathon and 20-year-old pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall qualified for his first world championships final.

Roberts, 25, continued the momentum in London Stadium. She needed only two throws to better the automatic qualifying standard (63.50m), progressing with 63.70m.

She was one of just seven women who qualified directly for the final.

China’s Liu Huihui (67.59m) was the top qualifier from 35-year-old Slovenian Martina Ratej (65.64m) and 33-year-old German Kathrina Molitor (65.37m). The 2012 Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova (64.32m) and Rio Olympic champion Sara Kolak (63.24m) also progressed.

But Canberra’s Roberts, who goes by the Twitter handle @thatjavelingirl has been making an international name for herself this year and said she was not afraid to take on the best women in the world.

Roberts has built up considerable momentum this year, setting a series of personal best performances in Europe on the way to the world titles.

She said her spurt of improvement this year came after she recovered from a back injury that affected her Olympic campaign. She has since made gains in both her strength and technique with coach Mike Barber.

“We’ve set a really good technical foundation now which has built consistency and that’s been a big key, being able to reproduce big throws rather than hit and hope,’’ Roberts said.

“I think my confidence has built comp after comp as I’ve been able to back up PBs and hit new PBs. That’s what I brought out here tonight.’’

Her current personal best sits at 64.38m but she believes she can improve in the final.

“I’m going to take everything I’ve done this season, go into Tuesday night against the same girls I know and I’ve thrown against and bring it on,’’ she said.

Roberts credited the two women who have blazed a trail for Australian javelin throwers in the past decade, 2013 world silver medallist Kim Mickle and Olympic finalist Kathryn Mitchell, for smoothing a path for her into the top ranks.

“The last couple of years competing with them and against them has been really helpful for me as an elite athlete,’’ she said.

“Having competition against them in the domestic season just opens your eyes up to what to expect when you come over to the European season and then to have them alongside me during comps like this, it’s so special to be able to share that experience.’’

Unfortunately, Mitchell could not produce her best in the qualifying round and did not reach the final.

Former junior pole vault star Kurtis Marschall cleared a mental hurdle to reach his first senior world championship final, after surviving the terrors of a countback in the qualifying round.

South Australian Marschall, 20, progressed in equal 11th due to a first-time clearance at 5.60m. He missed his three attempts at 5.70m but benefited from a cleaner record than others who were eliminated at that height.

Eight men cleared 5.70m, including the world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie, who took just two jumps to qualify, clearing 5.60m and 5.70m at the first attempt. Poland’s Piotr Lisek also progressed with a clean record.

American favourite Sam Kendricks, Canada’s defending champion Shawn Barber and Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski also cleared 5.70m.

Marschall, who set a personal best of 5.73m on the way to London, believes he can improve again in the final.

“Hopefully I can put it all out on the track and show the world exactly what I’ve been working towards,’’ he said.

“I’ve had some decent jumps this season. I’ve been jumping 70s pretty easily, I had an attempt at 5.77 in Monaco and had about 10cm hip height on it so I’d like a 5.80, 5.80 would be nice, maybe 5.85, squeeze in 85, but 80 I’ll be happy with.’’

Marschall confessed he felt “out of his depth’’ when he made his Olympic debut in Rio last year, just weeks after winning a silver medal at the world junior championships, but said he now felt comfortable competing with the top vaulters.

“All the other boys had been prepping for years for the Rio Olympic Games and I was just happy to be there,’’ he said.

“This time it’s more I’ve been there, done that. I know all the boys, I’ve seen them on the circuit and I can just put that in my back pocket and I’m looking forward to moving on to the next round.’’